Alex was moving away from the Bahamas and into Bermuda on Sunday morning with sustained winds of 50 mph. On Monday, the storm is expected to move north of Bermuda, which is currently under tropical storm warning. Strong winds and 2 to 3 inches of rain are possible.
“A slight strengthening is possible today (Sunday) followed by a weakening from Monday,” the National Hurricane Center said.
From early Sunday, the U.S. and the Bahamas were no longer threatened by the storm.
On Saturday, the system hit South Florida with a trio of heavy rain, strong winds and flooding, with up to 11 inches falling in some areas since Friday.
The city of Miami warned residents Saturday afternoon that several roads were inaccessible. At least one beach was temporarily closed.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials warned that the risk of flooding over the weekend is “high” across the county, especially in low-lying, poorly drained areas, and urged residents not to try. walking or driving through flooded waters. About 100 vehicles were stranded in flood waters across Miami from Friday to Saturday, Fire Chief Joseph Zahralban told CNN affiliate WSVN.
The storm caused record daily rain on June 4 in West Palm Beach (which saw 4.5 inches of water), Fort Lauderdale (which saw 6.55 inches) and Miami (which saw 5.24 inches). ), according to the National Meteorological Service.
Another above average hurricane season forecast
Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its forecast for this hurricane season.
One year above average is expected, with 14 to 21 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes and three to six major hurricanes, category 3 or higher.
There are several factors that contribute to a “busy” hurricane season.
“We’re in an active period,” NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said. “There are certain ingredients that drive the intensity and frequency of hurricanes.”
One is La Niña’s existing conditions in the equatorial Pacific.
This phenomenon creates colder-than-average ocean temperatures around the equator in the Pacific and causes meteorological impacts around the world.
La Niña has favorable conditions for hurricanes in the Atlantic, in contrast to El Niño.
On Thursday, Colorado State University released an update on its forecast. It is now calling for a hurricane season far above with 20 named storms, 10 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes.
This is the highest number of so-called storms CSU has ever forecast for the June season, Phil Klotzbach, author of the forecast, told CNN. In 2020, the university’s forecasting center predicted 19 storms during its June launch, but that number included three storms that were named before the season began.
CNN’s Gene Norman contributed to this report.